E36 Compact Compact 328i ti M sport

[E30BeemerLad]

I used M50 ICV but don't know if this is essential, wait for Dan to chime in for the correct response

As far as leaks go, I'd be more into checking how sound the connections as and maybe adding jubilee clips. Anything that looks cracked I'd be replacing. I find that where the hose from the ICV connects to the back of the plenum is often a bit of a lousy fit.

[DanThe]

The TB might look closed, but you need to look very closely, the slightest gap can make the idle fluffy, its easier to adjust with the throttle off the manifold

[leeparkes]

Will double check tomorrow and report back

[leeparkes]

Havent checked for air leaks yet but its been back on the weigh bridge

The bridge ive used measures to the nearest 5kg and it weighed in at 1260kg, it has gained around 20kg, not a lot for an extra 1000cc



Im unsure whether to keep the 4 pot springs on now

[Kos]

nice one mate !

right considering the compact is an e30 with a different suspension set up up front, they both weigh almost the same there is the big question

what do you prefer m30 or m52.

[Rav335uk]

Think on that one lee

[leeparkes]

what do you prefer m30 or m52.

Imo they are two totally different animals, the M52 is more refined and it doesnt seem to come alive till your up in the rev range but when your there it does fly, with the M30 the power is there all the time due to the huge torque curve, im gonna have to live with the M52 for a while longer to give a better answer though as ive only done about 60 miles in it so far.

Ill give an opinion soon

[leeparkes]

Idle issue sorted

I put the M52 TB back on and now its fine not sure what the problem was, ive had a look at the butterfly and it seems fine, i even lay it down on its back and filled it with WD40 and none was seeping out the back so its shutting fine, now im thinking TPS

Dont want to keep the M52 body on as it doesnt seal as it should at the manifold with the two gaskets

Also its gained a bit of a top end rattle too it wasnt there when it was in the donor, the oil ive used is Fusch titan XTR 5w 30 fully synthetic, im thinking its too thin and it was like water, whats recomended in these lumps?

[E30BeemerLad]

5w30 fully synth is the recommended grade dude

[Kos]

Think on that one lee

are you going to stop beinig friends with him if he prefers the m52 lol

so oil........

mine was fine before the engine swop, but developed a small end knock with 5w30, with 5w40 it runs better and cooler, i use 5w40 silkolene

[Jhonno]

I would keep the 4 springs I reckon and see how it goes.

[Dezzy]

Yeh you defos want 4 springs IMO

[nickso]

Also its gained a bit of a top end rattle too it wasnt there when it was in the donor, the oil ive used is Fusch titan XTR 5w 30 fully synthetic, im thinking its too thin and it was like water, whats recomended in these lumps?

funny, i was thinking the same with my m52 that i started up last week. i'm using 10w40 BTW.

[leeparkes]

Ive put some 10w40 semi synthetic in now, the knock is still there but not half as bad as it was.

I chased an E46 330i accross a dual carraigeway yesterday, he couldnt shake me off

[Kos]

Ive put some 10w40 semi synthetic in now, the knock is still there but not half as bad as it was.

I chased an E46 330i accross a dual carraigeway yesterday, he couldnt shake me off

330i's are easy victims

i had a 645i owner asking questions erlier today, he then asked if i wanted to sell the car

[leeparkes]

Right, after about 1000 enjoyable miles ive got a problem and i think its serious

Yesterday after some enthusiastic driving when i got home i popped the bonnet to see if everything was good and i noticed the top hose was rock solid!
I let the pressure off and done a sniff test and the result was not good. also i have air in the system now no matter how many times i bleed it

Im not getting any oil/water mixing or overheating just very high pressure, i know its a head gasket issue from the sniff test.

The system was bled religiously when it first went in to stop any issue's like this happening and for peace of mind, i used a 50/50 coolant mix too so whats happened? ive heard liners can sink, is this a possibility?

What a bastid


Anyone got an M52 knocking about

[DanThe]

Did you change the water pump when you fitted it? Had any overheating at all?

[leeparkes]

Yes water pump was swaped for a metal impeller one before it went in, it hasnt overheated either.

Now its virtually impossible to bleed it as there is so much pressure in the system, there is air getting in there somewhere and the only place i can think its coming from is one of the cylinders.

[DanThe]

Id bleed it again, run it, leave the pressure in then check the level/pressure again in the morning. I wouldnt write it off just yet, especially as you havnt had any over heating or noticed it before

[leeparkes]

Ive been out there for the past couple of hours and it just will not bleed, its on a steep slope (end of my drive) with the front up high, getting hot air from the vents and bleed as normal. take it out for 5 minutes then bleed again and ive repeated this process at least 6 times till the last time i undone the bleed screw a bit too much and covered myself in hot coolant (it stung a bit )

Ive tightened everything back up took it round the block and its now on the drive cooling down, ill report back tomorrow

Just a note, when i fired it up earlier it was spluttery for the first few seconds like it was firing on five

In the back of my mind i know its not right.

[leeparkes]

There was still pressure in the system this morning also im loosing coolant

[town325i]

If there is pressure still in the system that means to me its not loosing coolant as it would loose pressure to in my mind. Was the water pump new when you fitted the engine if not check the implore is still fixed to the shaft as they can separate and work in intervals

[leeparkes]

I put a brand new metal impeller waterpump in when the swap was done.
The pressure wasnt as bad but it was there and too much for comfort, i had the misfire again for the first few seconds aswell on first fire up.

Im going out now to remove the waterpump to make sure it hasnt shit itself.

[e30_Turbo]

Pop the plugs and turn it over, if there's water coming out you'll know for sure.

I've seen headgaskets move just enough to slip into the water channel but the oil channel still holds fine.....for a while then chirps in and it's time to get the chips out.

50p says you'll find a wet plug first

[DanThe]

As above, whip the plugs out but leave it pressurised overnight again as there will be more coolant in the cylinder this way.

Ive found cracked heads are more common than gaskets when the cooling system is pressurising

[E30BeemerLad]

Get the K-Seal out

[leeparkes]

Water pump is still intact

Ill pull the plugs now and report back

[leeparkes]

Get the K-Seal out

It has crossed my mind though

[leeparkes]

Got it pressured up again and whiped the plugs out to leave over night.

What i noticed though is the plugs for cylinders 5 & 6 (nearest baulkhead) have a light blue tinge to them

[Kos]

mine was a total cunt to bleed after i changed the rad, it was getting hot then back to normal and just playing up. the heater was rubbush and cold, then hot, rock hard hoses etc

the compacts dont all have heater valves like the e36 saloons and coupes and i thought it was that to start

so jacked up the front, bled it left it with the rad cap off checked in a few hours later and the waster level was going down but not loosing coolant. topped it up and kept doing this and it settled a few day laters, till it bled its self out but needed topping up every 1000 miles. only half a pint.

no sign of head gasket breach but just for good mesure i check in some K seal "just incase" and its fine ever since. that was in december.

re the splutter on start up, mines had that for a a while, only for a split second but it seems to have gone now.

[Andyboy]

Bleeding an M50/52 is so easy. I've never known why anyone does this jacking the car up/standing on one leg/doing the Riverdance around the car nonsense. The fact that a Compact doesn't have a heater valve actually makes it easier. You pull the top hose off the rad, pour coolant in slowly via the hose with the bleed screw out and when coolant starts to fill up in the hose and dribble from the top rad elbow the engine and radiator are full. Refit the hose, add a bit of coolant to the expansion tank if needed and it's job done. Fire it up and run it at fast idle (2000 rpm) until the heater blows warm air, crack open the bleed screw to let any remaining air out, 10 minutes start to finish and they often don't need bleeding because there's very little air in there to bleed.

The starting on 5 cylinders is a head gasket issue - coolant is weeping into a cylinder and putting the spark out. I had the exact same symptoms on an E34 520i Touring, shagged head gasket.

M52 - fragile alloy block crap. The Yanks got it right by insisting on iron blocks on single vanos units. No sinking liners/Nikasil/stripped block threads nonsense with those.

[zaust]

Andy, your failing to point out that the k seal magicly repair's all these symptoms and allows you to carry on motoring for years to come trouble free. Like if you went to the doctor with a growth on your neck, Easy to avoid nessasery treatment, Just wear a polo neck and you will live a long and healthy life.

[pacerpete]

Kseal didn't work on my suburban waterpump Celit did !

[zaust]

Kseal didn't work on my suburban waterpump Celit did !

What "BANG" and it's gone for good

[pacerpete]

Kseal didn't work on my suburban waterpump Celit did !

What "BANG" and it's gone for good

Come on Marc, 'fess up. A purveyor of scrap like yourself is bound to be familiar with the little silver sachets of magic flakes !